Pliers



G. M. PERRY Aug. 25, 1925.

PLIERS Filed March 28, 1925 mvemoa M. Perry Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

GEORGE M. PERRY, or SAN DIEGO, GALIFORNIA.

PLIERS.

Application filed March 28 1925. Serial No. 19,040.

To aZZwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. PERRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at San-Diego, county of San Diego, Sta-teof 5 California, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Pliers; and I do declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the. accompanying drawing,

and to the characters of referencemarked thereon, which foim a part ofthis application.

. This invention relatesto improvements in pliers of the common cr0ssarmtype, my

principal object being to incorporate with a pliers of this character anattachment which will make of the pliers a positive 7 gripping device sothat the jaws will not spread apart regardless of the turning strainapplied to the pliers on the objectby hand,

and without necessitating a very tight grip being maintained on thehandle of the pliers.

Further objects of the invention are to provide an attachment for thepurpose which becomes operative by a slight pressure of the hand of theoperator and is automatically released when such pressure is released;one which functions without the use of cams, springs, links and thelike; a device which enables the pliers to be readily manipulated byeither hand and to be used in places prohibiting the use of both hands;one which enables the gripping power of the pliers to be greatly andinstantly inwith which the pliers as ordinarily constructed may bemanipulated; and one which a pair of pliers showing my improvedattachment incorporated therewith.

Referring to the numerals of reference on the drawings the plierscomprises as usual handles 1 and 2 crossing each other and pivotedtogether as at 3 and opposed jaws yond the p ot to open creased at willwithout decreasing the speed Pivoted at one end and on one side of thehandle 1 near the pivot 3 isa rigid rod 5 which projects toward theopposite end of the other handle 2. Intermediate its ends said rod isbent so that its outer end lies outwardly of the outer surface of thehandle 2, and is formed on said end with a portion 6 which 2 at rightangles to the longitudinal plane thereof. Said portion 6 whichispsubstantlally a pawl is wedge shaped in cross section with its edgefacing the handle 2 and adapted to seat, in transverse saw-tooth notches7 cut therein. By reason of the shape and arrangement of the rod. 5relative to the handles said rod cannot swing very far in eitherdirection and the pawl 6 is consequently limited in its movement to orfrom the notches regardless of the set ting of the handles relative toeach other.

of the operator on the rod is removed.

" Thus when it is desired to allow the pliers and disengage thejawsffrom any object, the handles do not first have to be contracted toallow the pawl to escape; and it is impossible for the locking pawl tojam in said notches.

In operation the handles are grasped by either hand of the operator inthe usual manner and thejaws set so as to engage the objects to begrasped,the pawl being allowed to move freely along the notches.

When the object is firmly engaged-by the f" jaws the pawl, is pressedinto and held in engagement with the nearest notch by the fingers of theoperator.-

As long as only the necessary pressure to thus maintain the pawl inengagement'with a notch is maintained, any desired pressure tending torotate the object can be applied to the pliers without the pawl jumpingout of said notch and without the possibility of the jaws spreading.

Wh it isdes red to remove the pl trfi overhangs said outer surface ofthe handle V the pressure on the pawl is released when,

as above stated, said pawl will of itself leave the notch.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

lVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A locking attachment for pliers having crossed handles pivotedtogether and provided with opposed jaws beyond their pivotal connection,comprising a rigid member pivoted onto one handle on one side and nearthe pivot thereof and extending thence toward the outer end of the otherhandle and terminating on the opposite side thereof from the pivotalconnection of said rod with the first handle, a pawl provided on theouter end of the rod and overhanging the outer face of said otherhandle, and transverse notches insaid outer face adapted to be engagedby the pawl.

2. A locking attachment for pliers having crossed handles pivotedtogether and provided with opposed jaws beyond their pivotal connection,comprising a rigid mem ber pivoted onto one handle near the pivotalconnection thereof and extending toward the opposite end of the otherhandle, a rigid pawl on the outer end of the said member extendingacross the outer face of the other handle, transverse notches in saidother handle adapted to be engaged by the pawl, the notches being so cutrelative to the pawl and to the pivotal connection of the rod that thepawl tends to move out of the notches unless pressure is exerted on thepawl in a direction toward the notched face of the pawl.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE M. PERRY,

